Disk, and counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through optical microscope by use of the disk

Abstract

A disk for storing liquid samples containing cells and for use in counting and observing the cells through an optical microscope includes an upper member formed of a transparent material and having a plurality of liquid inlets arranged radially and adapted to introduce the corresponding liquid samples therethrough, and a plurality of air vents paired with the corresponding liquid inlets; an intermediate member having a plurality of chambers arranged radially and adapted to store the corresponding liquid samples therein, each chamber corresponding to each pair of the liquid inlet and the air vent and communicating with the liquid inlet and with the air vent; and a lower member formed of a transparent material and backing the intermediate member. The optical microscope assumes the form of an incident-light microscope.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A disk for storing liquid samples containing cells and for use in counting and observing the cells through an optical microscope, the disk comprising:
 an upper member formed of a transparent material and having a plurality of liquid inlets arranged radially and adapted to introduce the corresponding liquid samples therethrough, and a plurality of air vents paired with the corresponding liquid inlets; 
 an intermediate member having a plurality of chambers extending therethrough, arranged radially and adapted to store the corresponding liquid samples therein, each chamber corresponding to each pair of the liquid inlet and the air vent and communicating with the liquid inlet and with the air vent; and 
 a lower member formed of a transparent material and backing the intermediate member, the lower member presenting a first surface exposed to the liquid samples within the chambers; and 
 wherein the upper member presents a second surface exposed to the liquid samples within the chambers and facing the first surface, the first and second surfaces being located on opposing sides of the intermediate member; and 
 wherein a transparent hydrophilic film forms the second surface of the upper member, or forms the second surface of the upper member and the first surface of the lower member, the hydrophilic film/films causing the liquid samples introduced through the liquid inlets to be uniformly distributed against surface tension within the chambers. 
 
     
     
       2. A disk according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is a film having a uniform thickness and having an adhesive on opposite sides thereof; and
 the upper member, the intermediate member, and the lower member are bonded together by means of the adhesive on the opposite sides of the film. 
 
     
     
       3. A disk according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower member has an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein said upper surface is the first surface facing the upper member and said lower surface has a reflective film vapor-deposited thereon. 
     
     
       4. A disk according to  claim 3 , wherein the reflective film is formed of a metal vapor deposition film of aluminum or silver. 
     
     
       5. A counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through an optical microscope, comprising:
 a disk according to  claim 1 ; 
 a stage on which the disk is placed; 
 a rotary positioning section for rotationally positioning the disk; 
 an illumination section for illuminating the liquid sample with light; 
 an image-detecting section for picking up an image of the cells and outputting the image in the form of image data; 
 a storage section for storing the image data; 
 a counting observation section for counting and observing cells from the image data; and 
 a control section for controlling the counting observation apparatus; 
 wherein the storage section, the counting observation section, and the control section are provided in a personal computer as an information processing and manipulating section; and 
 the chamber is divided into a plurality of visual fields; an image of the cells in each of the visual fields is picked up; the number of the cells is counted from image data associated with the image; and cell concentration is determined from an average number of the cells. 
 
     
     
       6. A counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through an optical microscope according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the stage comprises three or more support members arranged circumferentially at appropriate intervals for supporting the disk; and 
 one of the support members is located at a position immediately under an object lens of the image-detecting section or in the vicinity of the position to thereby maintain a constant distance therebetween. 
 
     
     
       7. A counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through an optical microscope, comprising:
 a disk according to  claim 1 ; 
 a stage on which the disk is placed; 
 a rotary positioning section for rotationally positioning the disk; 
 an illumination section for illuminating the liquid sample with light; 
 an image-detecting section for picking up an image of the cells and outputting the image in the form of image data; 
 a storage section for storing the image data; 
 a counting observation section for counting and observing cells from the image data; and 
 a control section for controlling the counting observation apparatus; 
 wherein the storage section, the counting observation section, and the control section are provided in a personal computer as an information processing and manipulating section; 
 the chamber is divided into a plurality of visual fields; an image of the cells in each of the visual fields is picked up; the number of the cells is counted from image data associated with the image; and cell concentration is determined from an average number of the cells; and 
 a surface of the stage on which the disk is placed is a reflective surface. 
 
     
     
       8. A counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through an optical microscope according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the stage comprises three or more support members arranged circumferentially at appropriate intervals for supporting the disk; and 
 one of the support members is located at a position immediately under an object lens of the image-detecting section or in the vicinity of the position to thereby maintain a constant distance therebetween. 
 
     
     
       9. A counting observation apparatus for counting and observing cells through an optical microscope according to  claim 8 , wherein a disk supporting surface of the support member located at the position immediately under the object lens or in the vicinity of the position is a reflective surface. 
     
     
       10. A disk according to  claim 1  wherein the hydrophilic film/films is/are SiO 2 . 
     
     
       11. A disk according to  claim 1  wherein the hydrophilic film/films is/are vapor-deposited on the second surface or on both the first and second surfaces.